Odd Reasons “Not to Legalize Cannabis”

odd reasons to not legalize weed

While there are a plethora of reasons why one should legalize cannabis, there is an immeasurable number of “odd reasons” why not to legalize it. For example, “Space monkeys” would be a particularly odd reason to “not legalize weed.” It doesn’t make much sense because ‘what are space monkeys?’ and why would they be opposed to cannabis legalization in the first place?

Sure – this scenario of cosmic apes floating about giving a damn about the legalization happenings here on earth might be far-fetched. But here in 2020 odd-things-happening seem to be the flavor of the year.

For example; Jared Polis’ Governor of Colorado recently responded to a tweet from Tom Angell that listed the potential revenue if Texas were to legalize cannabis. He said, “Yes BUT it would reduce tourism to Colorado, so make sure to consider Colorado first in any Texas decisions” - Source

Of course, to any person born past the year 2000, this could be seen as a “so what moment”, however – for those of us who were born in the sweaty armpit of prohibition, having sitting governors jest about cannabis legality is a pretty big deal.

However, he’s not the only one who’s jesting about other states “keeping it illegal for their own state’s revenue sake”. Governor J.B Pritzker from Illinois also said in reference to their state’s cannabis market and the illegality of surrounding states the following; “it (cannabis) gives us a chance to collect tax revenue from the residents of Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Indiana.”

Illinois receives tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue from out of state visitors – and it seems that governors that are open to legalization are seeing the benefit.

Is it all about the money?

In the case of Polis, it seems that he is legitimately in favor of cannabis and believes in undoing the injustices caused by prohibition.

It should be all about the money either. Cannabis legalization – while it is tax lucrative is far more important than just “money”. It’s about health, social dissonance, systemic oppression and more importantly, an acknowledgement that “what happened with cannabis prohibition was WRONG”.

This is the second time that the government thought it would be a good idea to simply prohibit a substance without any consequence. The first time, with alcohol prohibition we saw the rise of Mafias and violence erupted on the streets.

With the drug war, that violence simply was outsourced to Mexico and other countries. Where the Mafia holds some power on a local level – Mexican Drug Cartels are now transnational crime syndicates that own Army Generals and other government officials.

They now traffic people, smuggle weapons and in general helps to deteriorate the safety of America – considering that they also operate in every major city in the US.

As you can see – if we don’t hold the government accountable for the policies it makes and enforces so strictly and relentlessly – we are doomed to repeat them.

This mindset of prohibition remains entrenched within the government “hive mind”. We can see it happen with Kratom currently where the FDA and DEA wants to ban it despite the fact that it’s relatively safe for consumers and helps them ween off opioids.

It’s time we re-think our approach to these policies and when you start noticing governors joking about “using hypnosis to make other governors legalize weed” – it seems we’re on the right track.

Change happens over time, and then you’re there…

When we look back on the early 2000s sometime in the distant future, we’ll have a definitive point of partition to say, “Yes, they legalized weed in 2021 and ended the prohibition against cannabis” but that would not be accurate.

For those of us living through these times, we know that change happens over time. First it was states like California that legalized in 1997 along with Washington and Alaska. At that point it was purely medical, but over time, and fifteen years later, Washington and Colorado legalized recreational weed.

Now – eight years later we have Canada with a legal weed system, Mexico on the verge to become the world’s largest cannabis market and the United States also find themselves on precipice of big change.

Never forget

We’re only now, 83-years after the government decided to implement the “Marihuana Tax Act” getting to a point where one of the most beneficial plants known to human-kind is becoming available once more.

For those who are worried about the political scene – welcome to how it has always been. The only difference is that now you’re awake and there’s no going back. You’ve got to start holding your elected officials at higher standards.

We cannot permit a handful of people decide the fates of everyone and have it be the “law of the land” for more than eight decades. The sheer amount of pain and carnage that decision created is an unacceptable position that should be “canceled” by the outraged.

Never forget – lest we are doomed to pass on our sins to future generations.